Mine-door-operating apparatus



Jan. 15, 1924.

H. FRANK ET AL MINE noon OPERATING APPARATUS Filed April 13 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 61 Home 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. FRANK ET AL MINE DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS Filed April 13 1922 Jan. 15, 1924.

RN N8 w Jan. 15, 1924. 1,481,128

H. FRANK ET AL MINE DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS Filed April 13. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 \9 R L) N v M 1 rvn E g\ J w II \F is $8) w- ---m WW I- I gvwcwhau liar/y Frm Jam L f W Jan. 15, 1924. 1,481,128

H. FRANK ET AL MINE DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS Filed April 13. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fatented den. 15, 1324.

instin- V "HARRY FRANK AND JOHN LEWIS, OF'FOBK nines, rnnnn ssnn.

MINE-DOOR-OPERATING APPARATUS.

Application filed Ap1'i113, 1922.. Serial No.552,119.

Q '0 all whom, it may concern Be itknown that we, HARRY FRANK and JOHN LEWIS, citizens of the United States, residing at Fork Ridge, in the county of Claiborne and Stateof Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Mine-Door-Operating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in mine doors, for controlling the air currents in the mines.

An important object of the invention is to provide a mine door, which is automatically opened, and held in the open position, upon the approach of the train, and then closed as the train passes the same.

A further ob'ect of the invention is vto provide car wheel completed circuits, and means operated-thereby, to shift the door to the open and closed position, and lock it in the open position. v

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character,.wl1ich is comparatively simple in con struction, automatic in operation, reliable, strong and durable. b

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mine door embodying our invention, the casing con taining the operating means being shown in' section,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section of the track showing the door in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on line 3-3 of Fig. 7, showing a wheel engaging the rail and ramp or contact plate,

F 1g. 4' is an enlarged side elevation of a switch which controls the operation of the motor, I

Fig. 5 is a detail section through one end of the gate, showing the construction of the,

hinge, the same being taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 66 of Fig. 1, I V

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of thecircuit,

Fig. 8 is an enlargeed central vertical section through the driving means or gearing of the gate, parts in elevation,

F ig.f9 is a detail section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8, parts in elevation, v

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a stripped beveled gear, and, i

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the track contact plates. y r In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 15 designates a doorframe, as a whole, ar ranged at the entrance end of the mine shaft or passage. This frame may embody a horizontalbeam 16 to which are secured vertical beams 17. The track rails 19 preferably pass over the horizontal beam 16,

and we preferably provide fillers 20and 21,

above the beam 16 and upon opposite, sides of the trackrails 19 to prevent the passage ofv air currents,"beneath the door, to be described.

Mounteclwithin the door frame 15 are door sections 22, of any well known or perferred construction,which are adapted to swing outwardly to open position, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The door sections 22 are rigidly connected with vertical shafts 23. ably affected by means of strips 2 1, secured to the doorsection by bolts or rivets 26, and these strips have jaws 27 and 28, rigidly connectedwitl'i theshafts 23 by means. of bolts 29 or the like. their upper ends'suitably ournaled in openings 30in the'upper channeljbeam 18, while their lower ends mayv be journaled in bearings 31', suitably secured within the channel beam 16.

Extending longitudinally of the door sec- -tions 22, within the beam'1'8, is'a horizonand are rigidly mounted uponthe -horizon-' tal shaft 31, outwardly of and adjacentto the bearings 32; These beveled gears engage beveled gears 36 and 37 respectively, which are rlgidlv mounted upon the upper endsof the vertical shaft 23."

This connection is prefer- The shafts '23 have Beveled:

As clearly shown in Figs. land 9, the 7 numeral '38 designates a motor, preferably suspended from the end of the beam 18, r and arranged outwardly of and adjacent to one of the beams 17.' This motor has an armature shaft 39, journaled in a bearing dOcarriecl by a depending bracket 41, which is bolted to the beam 18. The armature shaft 39 carries a worm 'tl, at its outer end, which engages a worm wheel 42, Fig. 8. This worm wheel is rigidly mounted upon a sleeve 43, rotatable upon a support-shaft 4%. The lower end of this support-shaft is rigidly mounted within the end of a hori zontal bracket 45, which is bolted at 4:6, to the beam 17. The support shaft 44; extends upwardly vertically and is provided at its upper end with atubular cross head 47, pivotally receiving the shait 3.1. The sleeve 43 is rotatable within openings 48, formed inthe beam 18, and projectsabove this beam, and carries a beveled gear 49-, rigidly mounted thereon. This beveled gear, Fig-. 10, is stripped, being provided with a set of teeth 50., for one-eighth of its circumference.

The free right end of the shaft 31 is journaled inja bearing 51, carried by a bracket 52, which is rigidly bolted to thebeam 18. Arranged between the bearing 51 and the right bearing 32 are beveled gears 53 and 54, having teeth throughout their periphery. These beveled gear-"shave hubs 55, WlllCll are rigidly boltedor clamped to the shaft 31'. The beveled gears are positioned upon opposite sides of the tubular cross head 47. in close proximity thereto, to be engaged in succession, by the teeth of the beveled gear 49. As these beveled gears 53 and 54 are arranged upon opp'ositesidcs oi the beveled gear 49, they will of course serve to drive the shaft 31 in opposite directions, for a purpose to be described.

After the door sections 22 have been swung outwardly to the open position, means are provided to hold thesame in such openposition, including plates 56, preterably' formed of iron, and bolted to the door sections 22. These plates are preferably insulated from the door section. The plates 56 are secured to the door sections, adjacent the vertical shafts 23', and are adapted, when the door sections are opened, to move'in proximity to locking electromagnets 57, which are mounted upon brackets 58, rigidly mounted upon the vertical beams 17. It might be stated at this point that when the doors are swung to the open position, by the motor and associated elements, the circuit for driving the motor 1s opened, and the motor will stop, while the circuitfor the electromagnets is closed, and these magnets energized and the plates 56" held adjacent the same.

Attention is now'invited to Figs. 2 and 7, wherein track contacts or ramps 59 and 59 are shown, which are placed outwardly of and nearthe rails 19, and project'upwardly beyond the same slightly, to con-tact with the periphery" of the wheel 60 of the car or train, andthereby electrically connect the rail'and the track contact. The track con tact is: of course thoroughly insulated from the rail 19, and this may be affected by einploying an insulating block 61, between the rail and track contact, and connecting the are shown in side elevation, with the rail behind'them. The track contact 59 has electrical connection with a wire 63, extending to the right, and connected with the track contact 59. The numeral 6% designatesa track contact, disposed inwardly of and "suit ably near the track contact 59, and insulated from the rail, in a similar manner, as doscribed in connection with the track contact 59. The track contact 64 has electrical connection with a wire 6'5, and this wire extends to the right, and is electricallyconnected with a track contact 6'6', arranged suitably near the track 59, and insulated fromthe rail, and positioned with relation to the rail, as explained in connection with the track contact 59. V The numeral 67 designates a source of current, connected with wire 68, connected with the rail 17. The. opposite pole ofthis source of current is connected to. a wiref69, connected. with a wire 70, which may he a: trolley wire. A wire 71 is connectedwith the wire 70, and has: electrical connection with a metallic contact, plate 72', Fig; 4:,

which contact plate is carried by a verti cal arm 73, from which it is thoroughly in sul'ated'. The arm 73. is. suitably mounted upon the beam 18-. Thecontact plate 72 is adapted to be engaged and disengaged hya coacting contact arm 74, rigidly mounted upon a vertically swinging arm- 75;, pivoted at 7 6, upon a bracket 77. The contact arm 75 is swung to the left, Fig. 4:, by a retractiIecoil spring 75-, so that the contact arm 74' in series therewith, and these electromagnetisf serve to attract a plate or armature 8:3, which is rigidly mounted uponthe vertically? swinging ar1n 75, and: thoroughly insulated therefrom, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Theelectromagnets 82: arecarriedby a vertical arm: or bracket 8%, suitably mounted. upon the beam 18. The/wire 81. alsohasthe locie ing electromagnets 57 connected in series in Fig. 2, and a train approaching the door sections, 22, traveling from left to right, when the forward wheel 60 of the train engages the contact section 59, it will establish electrical connection between the rail 19 and the track contact 59, .thereby closing a circuit connected with the motor 38. This motor will now operate, and its armature shaft 39 will rotate the sleeve 43. This sleeve will rotate the beveled gear 49, the, teeth of which are now positioned, to engage the beveled gear 53, turning this beveled gear for substantially i; of a revolution. 7 The shaft 31 will now be rotated in the directionof its arrow, Fig.8, and the vertical shafts 23 willbe turned clockwise, and the door sections opened.

In the closed circuit for operating the motor 38, the current will flow from one pole of the source of current 67, through wire 69, a portion of wire 70, wire/71, contact plate 72, contact 74, contact arin75, wire 7 9, through the armature ofthe motor, wire 80, wire 63, track contact 59, wheel 60, rail 19, and through wire 68 back to the opposite pole of the source of current 67. By the time the motor has swung the door section to the opened position, a circuitis closed for energizing the electric magnets 82 and 57, and this circuit is closed by the wheel engaging the track contact 64, and electrically connecting the same with the rail 19. Of course the time that this second circuit will be closed will depend upon the length of the trackcontacts 59, which may be properly calculated, depending upon the average speed at which the train will travel. In this second closed circuit, current will flow from one pole of the source of current 67 through wire 69, a portion of wire 70, a portion ofwire 81, electromagnets 82, aportion of wire 81, electromagnets 57, a portion of wire 81, electromagnets 57, a portion of wire 81, a portion of wire 65, contact 64, wheels 60, rail 19, and-wire 68, back to the opposite pole of the source of current 67. As soon as the circuit is thus closed, and the electromagnet 82 is energized, it draws the arm to the right, Fig. 4, breaking the electrical contact between the contact arm 74 and the plate 72. The circuit of the motor 38 is therefore opened, and the motor ceasesto run. this operation the locking electromagnets 57 are energized, and they attract the plates 56, thereby serving to hold the door sections 22. in the open position. By this means, when the train approaches the door sections,

they will be automatically swung to the open 7 position, and held until the train has passed Simultaneously with the same. When the train is passingthrough the door sections, its wheels continue to contact with the track contact 64, and also contact with track con act 66, thus tendin to retain the electromagnet 82 energized. v he track contacts are constructed sufliciently long so thatthe rear wheel of each car of the train will contact therewith, before the front wheel clisengages the same. By this means the circuit, including the'electromagnet 82, when closed is retained continuously closed, during such period. he wheels of the train begin to engage the track contact 66 before they entirely disengage the track contact 64, and as soon as these wheels engage the track contact 66, the circuit for the electromagnet 82 is retainedclosed. In this closed circuit, thecurrent will pass from one pole of the source of current 67 through Wire 69,.wire 70, a portion of the wire 81,. electromagnets 82, a portion of wire 81, electromagnets 57, a portion of wire 81, electromagnets 57, a portion of wire 81, a portion of wire 65,.track contact 66,.wheels'60, rail 19, and wire 68, and back to the opposite pole of the source of current, When the train has thus passed beyond the open door sections, its rear-mostwheels disengage the, track contact 66, and the spring 7 5 will at once swing the contact arm 74 into electricalconnection with the contact plate 72. 'As soon as the wheels of the train engage the trackcontact 59, they will electrically con- 7 nectit with the rail 19,-and a circuit will be closed to drive the motor 38. In this closed circuit, current will flow. from one pole of the source of current 67, through wire 69, apart of the wire 70, wire 71, contact 72, contact arm 74, wire 79, motor 38, wire 80, a portion of the wire 63, track contact 59, rail 19., and through the wire 68, to the opposite pole of the source of current. This circuit will remain closed until the rearmostwheel of the train travelsoff of the track contact 59. The closing of this cir- I cuit causes motor 38 to operate, and the sleeve '43 will 'be driven, and the beveled gear 49 will have its. teeth 50 brought intoengagement with the beveled gear 54, driving the shaft 31' in an opposite direction'to 1 its arrow, whereby the vertical shafts 23 are turned in an opposite direction to their ar-' rows, and the door sections closed. 7

It is to be understood, that the form of our inventionherewith shown and described,

is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. r

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 7

1. In apparatus of the character described, V

a track, a mine door extending across the trzick and adapted to be shifted to opened and closed positions, electrical means? to move the door tothe opened position iiicluding a car wheel completed circuit closed at one point by the passage of a train, and electrical means including it cifr wheel coin pleted circuit closed it another point by the passage of the train toopen the firstcilciiit andhold the door in the opened position 21 Inapparatus of the character described, a track, in'ov'able door adapted to extend across the track, means mo -mi the doo'r including o motor, a, car Wheel coinple'ted cii'} cuit connected With the" motor an'dzida-pted to he closed upon the passage of a train at a certain" point on the track, a switch connected in the circuit, meansadapted when energized to open the switch, electrical means adapted when energizes tofhold door in the'open position, and med-car Wheel completed circuit having the first second named electrical means connected series therewith, the second c rcuit be ng closed when the train approaches a; certain :7 point in the track.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a track, a pair of horizontally swinging'doors extending over the track, vertical shafts supporting the doors, gearin to turn the shafts, a motor to drive the gearing, ture plates secured to the doors, electro magnets adapted to attr'zic't the? armature plates when the doors are swung to the open position and the electroina'ghet-s are ene'i gi-zed, 2i car Wheel completed eircnit'connected with the motor; a switch connected in the circuit and adapted to open it, an electromagnet to actuate the switch, second car Wheel completed circuit having all of the electronmgnets connected therein, and a train to travel upon the track and close the circuits, in succession. 7

4C. In apparatus of the character described,

a track including track rails. a pair ofho'ri zontally swinging door sections extending across the track, upstanding shafts supporting the door sections beveled getrs secured to the upper ends of the shafts, 3; horizontal extei' de'd wi l door sections se ens gettrs; c e ri'i d the horizontal shz'tft and engaging the first named beveled gears,

a pair of beveledgfiars rigidly moiintedupon the liorizoiitzil facing inv op" p'osite directioi'is irtid' disposed in close re lation, esn i-pped-be eled getirf arranged be tween said pair of beveled genre, :1 motor to drive the stripped beveled gear; and means to cause the motor to; operate iv-he'n a train traveling upon tli-etfack" approaches; the;

door sections at selecteddistajnce therefrom upon one side and when the train passes through the door sect-ions {ind reaches a selected -point away from the door sections;

5 In apparatus of the character d scribed; a track, a pair ofisirvinging mine doors to extend ecrossthetrack and adapted to be cally connecting said contacts, a Wire wc5011};

Hmon -theses mined wir'e with deepen of the Ind-tor, 94' who connecting the opposite;

pole of the widths ojj-ijosite pole of the" source of ctirrent, 21' fstv'itch j connected in the lasc'named wire, an electroiriagnetedapt ed when energized to open the switch," a,-

pair of holding eleefionifignetsarrangjed near the" swin ing doors, co-ttcting zirrnvtur pletes carried by the doors; Wire connected'with one-pole ofthe sonice of current; and hailing vll of sei'i'dhiag'n e'ts" connected therein, a p'a-ir' of sp ced' contacts arranged near the track rziil andinsulated therefrom and connected Withthe last named wire;'tliea la'st named contacts being electrically em nected With the rail by a Wheel traveling upon the mil; c t

In testimony whereof tve" e-fiik Our sig atures. e HARRY FRANK? QTQHN LEWIS. 

